


Couple's Skate

by Quettaser



Category: Jane the Virgin (TV)
Genre: F/M, High School, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 21:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5471573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quettaser/pseuds/Quettaser
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She knew from experience that the more elaborate a guy's hair, the more delicate his ego would be. You could say basically anything to a guy with greasy hair and he'd still try to ask you out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Couple's Skate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pasdexcuses](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pasdexcuses/gifts).



> This prompt was too good to pass up. Thanks to S. for the handholding and cheerleading.

The hallway buzzed with noise between second and third period and Xiomara was eyeing her Algebra textbook with reluctance.

“Xo, please, you _have_ to go with me to Tia’s party,” Gabby said, pleading from the other side of Xiomara’s locker. “I’ll die if I have to go through it all by myself.”

Xiomara closed her locker and sighed, looking over at Gabby’s desperate face. “Isn’t her party at the roller rink? I think we’ll all die of embarrassment anyway.”

“That's why you have to go. I can't just bail, she's my cousin, so my mom would never let me forget it.”

“Ugh, _Gabriella_ ,” Xo whined. Gabby looked unmoved. “I'll think about it,” Xo said. The bell for third period rang while Xiomara grabbed her Algebra book and shoved it in her bag. As she shut her locker, she turned to her friend. "Wait, Gab, if you help me figure out vertexes, I'll go with you to Tia's party."

Gabby looked back at her, suspicious. “That would mean you have to actually do homework with me this week, instead of hanging out at Luigi's." The local pizza place was Xiomara's favorite place to spend the afternoon after school. Due, not in small part, to the number of very cute college boys that rotated through their staff. Not that she really talked to them, but Xo liked the scenery.

"Deal," said Xiomara as they walked into math class. "We can do our homework at Luigi's anyway.

The rest of the week passed more or less uneventfully. Xiomara had basically figured out vertexes by Thursday, and she had successfully convinced Gabriella to flirt with Hector, the senior who kneaded all the dough. His face was a little underwhelming, but he had nice arms. Xiomara was determined to get Gabby a boyfriend by the end of the school year and Hector seemed like a good place to start.

Meanwhile, Xiomara had set her sights on Joey the delivery boy, with his deep voice, car, and lips that were _made_ for making out. So far, she'd only learned that he used to play baseball and that his favorite pizza was ham, which wasn't a lot to go on. But Xiomara was experienced at getting guys to ask her out. She'd figure Joey out soon enough.

The roller rink was disturbingly full on Saturday when Xiomara and Gabby showed up for Tia's party. The Chicken Dance was on full-blast and kids were running around the arcade. There was a big family group over by the food area, clearly Tia's family. They had brought their own decorations and everything. It was basically a scene out of Xo's worst nightmares.

"Are all these people here for Tia?" Xo asked Gabby. "Or do people still think this is a cool thing to do on a Saturday night?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Gabby replied, as she headed over to the food area, gift for Tia in hand. “I’ve only ever met most them at a couple of big family parties.”

Xo didn't follow, but waved over at the Dominguez group. She wasn't ready to completely associate herself with the party just yet. Once she'd given the place a once-over and determined that no one cooler was there, she'd probably lace up some skates too. But those were desperate measures.

"Xiomara!" someone yelled, startling Xo out of her scan of the rink for cute guys. It was Tia, rolling up to her on her skates.

“Hey, happy birthday!” said Xo, leaning over the wall of the rink to give Tia a hug.

“Thanks for coming. I was surprised when Gabby said you were gonna be here today.”

“Oh, well, sure,” Xo said, trying to sound sincere. “I wouldn't miss it.” She wasn't sure if Tia actually believed her.

Tia pushed away from the wall and started to skate again. “See you out there!”

“You wanna go get some skates?” asked Gabby, coming up behind Xiomara.

“I think I want to scope out the arcade.”

Gabby gave her a look. “You are always on the prowl.”

Xo just smiled at her friend. They walked together through the arcade, towards the skate rental desk. Out of the corner of her eye, Xiomara saw the most stunning coif of hair she’d ever seen. She stopped, immediately reaching out for Gabby’s arm and pulling her back.

The guy was playing skeeball, the dim lights of the arcade somehow still showcasing every wave and curl of his hair. Xiomara had always been a sucker for a guy with good hair. He looked around her age, maybe a few years older and just seemed to exude confidence. A total babe, way cuter than Joey the delivery boy.

“ _Gabriella Dominguez_ ,” Xo hissed, “who is that, are you related to him and why have you hid him from me all these years?” 

Gabby looked around confused for a moment. “Oh, umm, I think he’s related to Tia’s family? I’ve met him once before. I think his name is Rodrigo? No, Rogelio.”

“Rogelio,” Xo said, quietly, trying the name on for size. She could date a guy named Rogelio. Hell, she could just make out with a guy named Rogelio if he looked like that.

“Well, I see you’ve found your entertainment for the day,” said Gabby. “I’m going to go skate. You do, you know,” she waved her hand vaguely, “whatever.”

“Thank you for your blessing,” Xo replied. She gave another look at Rogelio and turned back towards the food area. She bought a soda and sat at a table close to the rink, but a little distance from Tia’s party. She could still see Rogelio, but was far enough away that she didn’t seem like a crazy person.

Sometime later, Gabby skated over and leaned on the half-wall by Xiomara's table. “Are you going to go talk to him? You’ve been staring for like, the last two couple skates.”

Xiomara took a long drink of her soda, then shook her head. “Not yet. With hair like that, you have to have a plan.” She knew from experience that the more elaborate a guy's hair, the more delicate his ego would be. You could say basically anything to a guy with greasy hair and he'd still try to ask you out. But a guy like Rogelio? You had to be careful with your approach.

Gabby followed Xiomara's eyes over to the arcade. “Well, your plan’s boring and it sucks.”

Xo scoffed and finally looked away from where Rogelio was lounging on the Mortal Kombat machine. “Says the girl who's made out with how many people before?”

Gabby shook her head and pushed away from the wall in a huff, middle finger raised.

"Exactly!" Xo shouted back.

She finished her soda quickly and went to the bathroom to do one final lipgloss and hair check before she approached Rogelio. She flipped her hair a couple of times, straightened her shirt and gave herself a mental high five in the mirror. She was totally ready.

Out in the arcade, Xo positioned herself by the claw machine, which gave Rogelio a clear angle to see her. She put some quarters in the machine and half-heartedly attempted to win a stuffed penguin that was at the top of the prizes. She tried to keep one eye on what Rogelio was doing and if he was looking at her, but after her first two attempts at the penguin failed, Xo was getting frustrated. She kicked the game and immediately regretted it, wincing as she grabbed her foot. 

Dropping a few more quarters into the machine with a growl, Xiomara was focused entirely on the game and didn't hear Rogelio come up behind her.

"Please, allow me. My hand-eye coordination skills are unparalleled," said Rogelio, gesturing towards the joystick. His voice just sounded so _mature_.

"Sure," said Xo, stepping to the side and trying not to suddenly pass out. Maybe she wasn't as good at this boy stuff as she thought she was. Why did she feel so nervous? Rogelio worked the claw machine with ease and Xo gave herself a mental pep talk. This was still just a guy, even if he did have _stunning_ hair, and guys were easy. Xiomara Villanueva had stopped getting flustered about guys since she’d kissed Jimmy Bregy outside the lunchroom in second grade. He’d also had a great head of hair.

Feeling more reassured, Xo leaned her hip against the claw machine to watch Rogelio’s face in the glow of the game’s neon lights. “Are you here for Tia’s party?” she asked, trying to lilt her voice just right.

“Yes,” he said, still concentrating on the game. “She’s my cousin on my mother’s side. And you? I’ve never seen you before.”

Xo tucked some hair behind her ear and tilted her head to elongate her neck. “I’m here with my friend, Gabriella. She’s Tia’s cousin too.”

Rogelio nodded, eyes still firmly on the claw. “You must be a very good friend to come to a party when you aren’t obligated.”

“Yeah,” she said. Xiomara thought guiltily of Gabby skating by herself.

He bit his lip in concentration. Xo couldn’t tell if he was doing it consciously or not. She watched as he successfully caught the stuffed penguin and it dropped to the bottom of the machine.

As Rogelio reached down to grab it, Xo asked, “Why did you come over here?” 

"I noticed your hair. It is very luxurious." Rogelio said, straightening with penguin in hand. hovered his other hand just over Xo's hair, as if he was about to touch it, but he never did. "I thought to myself," he continued, holding the penguin out towards her, "that surely a girl with such beautiful hair deserves the stuffed penguin she desires."

Xiomara had flirted with plenty of cute guys before, but she had never actually felt her heart flutter the way it did when she took the stuffed penguin from Rogelio. “I’m Xiomara, by the way,” she said, sticking out her hand. “Thanks for the penguin.”

“Rogelio de la Vega,” he said with a flourish, gently taking her hand, but not really shaking it. Xiomara felt something like a spark between them.

“Hey, do you want to go rollerskate with me?” she asked. “I probably shouldn’t leave my friend alone any longer.” Normally, she wouldn’t make a move like this. She’s follow the guy’s suggestion or just hang somewhere and talk. But he’d already approached her. It was a risk she could take.

Rogelio looked delighted. “Of course! I have an innate sense of balance, so I’m a very strong skater. In truth, I’m a talented athlete, but my passion is acting.”

“Really? I love singing,” Xiomara replied as they started walking towards the skate rental. “I want to be a singer when I get older.”

“I like a girl with strong ambitions. One day, I will be on the most popular telenovela and everyone will know my face.” It was a ridiculous boast, but Xo thought maybe he could pull it off.


End file.
